The last time the number of justices on the Supreme Court was changed was in 1869. @ that time the U.S. had 9 federal districts. One justice for each district. Today there are 13 federal districts. In 1869 the U.S. population was around 38 million people. Today’s population is over 335 million people! It’s time President Biden.
Keith, While your reasoning is sound, first, we must retake the House, hold our 49 Senate seats, flip a Republican-held seat to give us the requisite 50 (with the VP casting the tie-breaking vote) allowing for filibuster reform, and, obviously, hold the White House. All doable if we do the work.
Unfortunately flipping doesn't matter if you get a Sinema, Manchin, or now Fetterman. They're the ones doing the middle digital flipping routine. The joke's on us.
I think there should be rules that a candidate who misrepresents themselves should be kicked out of their seat, if they betray their constituents, like a George Santos type, or Krysten Sinema, or
Joe Manchin.. they lied to get into office, to get power from the voters. Then they don't represent them. They should be fired
Exactly. Anyone else would in their job. Why not a prominent job that pays nearly $200,000/year? It is falsifying your application. That is grounds for dismissal! To enter this country legally, immigrants, which they seem to detest, must be truthful on their applications. Therefore, the immigrants have more integrity than these high paying politicians.
Also, people voted on FALSE premises. If they knew the truth, it is unlikely those con artists would have been voted into office.
Everyone knows Trump holds an elevated level of distain for the people of this country who are free thinkers. Why? Because that group is almost impossible to control. The poorly educated comprise the foundation of Trump's supporters because they just don't know any better. Sheep to the Mutton-Master. Just think for a moment what this country would be like today if Trump would have been an honest man.
You are so correct and that is why there has been an attack to degrade on education for years and why the Democrats need to focus on school board elections, as the Republicans have. Trump said he loves the uneducated and this is why. They are easily manipulated.
If we think today’s voters don’t t do critical thinking, have media literacy, know civics and history, wait till the cohort of today’s school age children are old enough to vote.
Agree on principle, the problem is the mechanism. Unlike state and local level elected positions, federal offices don’t have the recall election process except to wait out the term until the next regular election. It’s the rare elected congressperson that will resign under mounting public pressure or even criminal or civil indictment. The only other mechanism, as in Santos’ case is the House or Senate itself voting for expulsion of a member; historically, those instances can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Federal recall elections of members of congress would need a constitutional amendment. That’s not going to happen.
Just because "This is the way we have always done it" does not mean That's not going to happen. the Gordian knots of deliberately bollixed legislation will have to be cut somehow. If the MAGAs can just ignore precedent and the Constitution, a way to do this quickly must be found. If there is a will, there is a way. We will see who is part of the problem or part of the solution! They are threatening the lives of women and the freedom of all humans! We need a redesign of the mechanism, because it is not working for the Humans! Government of, by and For the people! Remember!?? They are killing women and freedom for all!, "Right" along with Justice! We need a redesign that does not involve corruption, dirty money and a rogue stacked COURT!
Michael, good point. This is something we should all write to our Congresspersons and let them know we want reformed, All these jobs need to have accountability processes.
dnkarr, I would note, aside from Manchin and Sinema, Democrats, including Fetterman, largely support filibuster reform, a critical factor for moving legislation, currently stalled, to the floor for debate and an up or down majority vote. Regarding Fetterman, I would add, barring his appalling stance on Israel/Palestine, overall, his views not only comport with mine, but also run counter to Manchin and Sinema.
So now we have an ideological purity test on the left, just like the ideological purity test on the right, and just who is the person who determines what is ideologically pure.
Oh I see now it is whether one supports the terorist organization HAMAS or not.
If you support HAMAS you are ideologically pure leftist.
No wonder liberalism is in such deep shit.
The same whiners kvetching over Gaza, don't give a rats about Ukraine.
I have never seen a single protest, much less the tons of "ink" spilled, on substacks like this, as regards the documented ongoing genocide in Ukraine.
Putin and Trump are in their glory, and if this leftist and Muslim whining keeps up, between the two of them they will control the world.
Putin will roll over Europe, Trump will stand by and let him, and the world will sink into a new dark age
Fetterman is a Jew and he stands by Israel, just like all the world's Muslims, including America's, and campus idiots, stand by Gaza.
I can not find one Muslim who blames HAMAS for the slaughter of Jews, and the slaughter of Muslims whom they use as human shields. There is no such thing as a secular Muslim, one is either a Muslim or an apostate.
But the Jews that criticize Israel are legion.
Secular Jews are a dime a dozen, including the owner of this substack.
If you are a Jew who is appalled at Israel's starving and bombing innocent civilians, then you are for Hamas? What twisted logic got you to that conclusion Mr Farrar? And with how many Muslims have you actually discussed the tyranny of Hamas and its stranglehold over its own people in Gaza. You obviously are not familiar with the various Israeli/Palestinian organizations and individuals that have been working together for decades towards peace in the region. Here's one source of info on this issue: +972mag.org. Also check out CNN's Amanpour and her interviews with Palestinians and Israelis who are working together to overcome the barriers to peace.
I watch Chrisitane Amanpour on BBC Mon through Friday, and her Muslims sympathies bleed through, here mother is British her father Iranian.
It is the HAMAS Ministry of Health, that is pumping out video's, photos and propaganda, and llying at that. They claimed 35,000 Israeli's were killed, the UN has finally got around to cutting that in half, and half of those killed have been HAMAS battalions, yet people like you believe that they are all innocent civilians.
Christianne and even the UN were accepting the reports of HAMAS as valid and at face value, but when the IDF posts a video, they are sure to caveat it as "unverified".. talk of double standards.
What does Peace mean to Islam. Peace means no state of Israel, and what Jews live within the Islamic state are second class citiziens, dhimmis.
Jews for Palestine are secular Jews, atheistic even, Jew by tradition, but not loyal to Judaism.
There are no such thing as a secular Muslim, one is either a Muslim, a kufr or an apostate (murtadd). A Muslims first loyalty is to the Ummah, the world wide community of Muslims, there is no such thing in the Jewish tradition.
The Quran forbids a believer to lie to save his own skin, but it demands a believer to lie for the sake of Islam.
There is no such thing in Judaism or Christianity.
How do I know these things, because I have studied Islam, the Quran, hadiths and biography of Muhammad by ibn Ishaq., and considered by Muslims to be an apostate, a kufr or kaffir.
I am appalled at the duplicity, the hypocrisy of the left, and the campus idiots, who demonstrate, gush violence over Gaza, but completely ignore and ignored the real genoicide going on in Urkraine.
Then again there aren't rich Ukraine kids, attending expensive and prestigous American universities on Ukrainian wheat money, as there Arab counterparts
And there are no professorial chairs and fellowships being funded by Ukrainian wheat money, as there is by Arab oil money
There were 89,952 were students from 21 Arab countries, and all of them at prestigious Universities.
William, I am not sure but it seems you are basing your conclusions on a very limited data set. There are many who agree with the ICC.
The ICC is seeking arrest warrants for five individuals – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar, Mohamed Diab Ibrahim al-Masri (also known as Mohamed Deif) and Ismail Haniyeh.
Today, 17 March 2023, Pre-Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court (“ICC” or “the Court”) issued warrants of arrest for two individuals in the context of the situation in Ukraine: Mr Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and Ms Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova
Linda: You say there are many who agree with the ICC,. That statement is an appeal to a logical fallacy called the Bandwagon effect.
I hope the ICC succeeds in it's desire to arrest Bibi and his crew. Yahaya Sinwar and his crew, Putin and his crew I have no use for these right wing extremists, anymore than I have for the right wing extremists among us.
Arrest warrants are one thing, arresting the perps another.
However arrest warrants are one thing, the damage that these people do is another. Putin is successfully waging a war of genocide on the Ukrainians despite the arrest warrants. Sinway is still using his people as human shields and cannon fodder despite arrest warrants, the Israeli right wing is still dispossessing Muslims despite arrest warrants.
I am not basing my conclusion on a limited set of data, but on the ideological foundations of the the actors.
There is a reason for that, latent, subconscious antisemitism lurks in the heart of the left, it doesn't help that the right wing is all in on Netanyahu. Partly because of the evangelical component, which is also antisemitic because in their mind Jews are Christ killers, but in their end times pathology, 240,000 of them will convert. But ideologically the right identifies with the right, autocrats are sympathetic with and align with other autocrats.
The American right and the Israel right are brothers in arms,. Interestingly although theologically Judaism, Christianity and Islam are as different as night and day, the cultural effects and the eschatalogy of Christianity and Islam, not Judaism, are the same. Both have a day of judgement and reckoning after death, both have a paradise and a hell, both are Manichean with a good god and bad god., both have demons, they differ only in the identity and name of their god.
The involvement of Russia is not apparent, and for most still is not, despite the fact that Oct 7th was his birthday and Iran via HAMAS gave him a gift to distract the weak western mind from Ukraine.
The ferbile western mind has the attention span of a crow, and is easily distracted to chase the newest bright shiny object
They also have an innate susceptibility to propaganda especially if it is emotionally laced with visual images, actual and mental, regardless of source, and ideology.
Propaganda, effectively employed, erects a barrier to critical thinking. Full stop,the world suddenly becomes "you are either with us or against us". with me or against me. Friend or enemy.
If you were into Fetterman as a progressive, it's difficult to abide his unquestioning pro-Israel stance given what we know about Gaza and that Bernie Sanders originally endorsed the guy. But hey Biden is unwavering in his support and sending more military aid. So Fetterman is definitely supporting the prez. I guess we'll see.
Idon't concur with you conflating the Gaza affair with progressive. I am progressive and I consider HAMAS ruthless, raping murdering cowards.
IMO there is one party that is responsible for the sad state of affairs in Gaza and that is HAMAS.
They flew out of the strip, raped, slaughtered, even babies and infants, women, elderly, disabled and then ran back to Gaza with hostages, to use, along with the people whom they are suppose to govern, as human shields. Cowards.
HAMAS, and indeed Islam, are at war with the Jews, it started in Medina when Muhammad had the 600 members of the Jewish tribe Quaryza beheaded, because they wouldn't accept him as a prophet, but used false pretenses.
Verses 1295-1296, Book 56, hadith 139 al Bukhari says that the day of Judgment (when the mehdi -messiah) appears won't happen until all of the Jews are obliterated, and it is quoted in the HAMAS covenant along with the preamble that says Israel cannot exist.
That is the definition of genocide, and has not been repudiated.
I am no partisan fan of Israel, and Bibi, his political supporters, the settlers are all criminals, bu they are not the state of Israel, the state of Israel is a liberal secular state that recognizes women's rights, and doesn't force them to wear bee keeper suits, and recognizes the humanity of all of it's citiizens and has recognized gay marriage long before Congress, under Biden, passed the respect for marriage act.
Islam kills gays, and oppresses women. The women of Gaza are happy Stockholm Syndrome, just like MAGA women.
In closing as regards Gaza, Israel is fighting for it's existence, while the Muslim world, and "leftists" wish it out of existence..
I do not condone what Israel has done to the Arabs, but the Arabs started it in 1948, when they tried to wipe it out of existence (a genocide) and having failed, they tried again and again and again, like the insane people they are, 1956, 1967, 1973 and each time they lost, and each time Israel expanded its border to secure it's population.
That which you call the West Bank, once belonged to Jordan, Jordan abandoned it.
None of the Arab neighbors want anything to do with the "Palestinians", they prevent them entry and when they sneak in, they send them back, and Egypt is building it's own wall to keep out the Gazans.
None of this would have happened had not the Arab neighbors of Israel had not tried to obliterate it, time and time again.
The images of destruction of dead and wounded children do tug at the heart strings, but the blame lies with HAMAS,
The images of death and destruction in Ukraine ,inflicted by Putin, tug at the heart strings, but not a friggin peep from bleeding heart leftists and students. Not a peep mind you.
Because Ukraine is not on the list of concerns by the left, is it because it is a target of Putin's?
Two things happened on Oct 7th. Iran threw Putin a birthday party by sponsoring HAMAS attack on Israel.
and now the worlds attention is deflected from the real genocide underway in Ukriane, and focused on a fake genocide in Gaza.
I have already answered this but here we go again. Fetterman is indeed a liberal, but not in your wheelhouse, because you demand fealty to the Israel is committing genocide caucus. And that is the problem with your kind, you demand that we eat the whole pizza, well this progressive doesn't like anchovies.
Smart move doofus, turn your friends and allies into enemies. No wonder progressivism is doomed, zombies define what is and is not a liberal and then chase those that don't fit their narrow minded view out of the camp.
Enjoy Trumplandia fool.,I'll be packing for Canada or Panama, if they will have me.
Agreed, along with a host of other organizations including Blue Wave, Markers for Democracy, Activate America, Swing Left, Reclaim Our Vote/Center for Common Ground, and the like.
Do you think the Dems in the House should attempt to impeach Thomas and Alito? At least to go on record, with the reasoning, even if it couldn’t pass right now?
I've probably said this before but I highly agree that Supreme Court justices must be subject to strict term limits. Furthermore, there should be an annual in-house rating system among them to check for bias and corruption as well as an enforceable recusal system when necessary. This system should also apply to the chief Justice. Should any evidence of these behaviors be uncovered, that justice should be removed and appropriately prosecuted by a jury of his peers.
Keith, I agree that representation is utterly outdated. California must also get far more US senators and Reps based on population. So many Blue states are shamefully under-represented. Win next election first, put in more progressives, come out strong with change to prevent this Fascist bullshit and crush it into insignificance, preferably completely, but that may be unrealistic.
Two senators per state is locked into the constitution, the number of house members is no longer, having last been set at 435 by federal law in, I believe it was, the early 1920’s. The best solution is to remove the cap and ratio the number of house members based on the population of the least populous state. Wyoming has a population of approximately 582,000. California’s population is approximately 39,000,000. Using this example, California increases from 52 to 67. This also corrects the imbalance in the Electoral College.
Yes, he would be a fine SC justice as he has shown himself to be highly BS proof. His judicial skills are so far removed from those of Aileen Cannon who should be disbarred and demoted to latrine cleaner in some crooked law firm.
Since recusal for conflict of interest among Supreme Court justices is voluntary, not mandatory as it should be, & we're unable to impeach or expel Alito & Thomas because Republicans won't go along with it, how about we just ignore any votes by these 2 illegitimate justices on cases where they have a clear conflict of interest, so any 5-4 decision becomes 3-4, & they lose?
Well, I’ve actually written the Supreme Court to say that if their decision to either grant Trump some sort of immunity, which is not found anywhere in the constitution or drag their decision out, and he wins in November, that they will have essentially made themselves irrelevant. This is because, if they rule at some point against him or his administration, Trump will just ignore that decision. This path is as clear as day.
Jamie R, I wish, but that cannot be done legally. Since Federal judges can only be removed through impeachment by the House of Representatives and conviction in the Senate. Judges and Justices serve no fixed term — they serve until their death, retirement, or conviction by the Senate. We have now seen how this is a weakness that the DT/MAGA. cult is exploiting, this is one of the ways that we need to change the mechanisms. What can Congress do if they disagree with a judicial ruling?
Congress can pass legislation to attempt to limit the Court's power: by changing the Court's jurisdiction; by modifying the impact of a Court decision after it has been made; or by amending the Constitution in relation to the Court. We need to elect a majority Democratic Congress and then do like Germany did after Hitler and put laws in place that protects against any authoritarian rule. I can only hope we can do this before we have to endure a Christofascist takeover
Any attempt to reform the courts or expand SCOTUS will be struck down in legal challenges decided by the very courts they are meant to reform. It's a dead letter.
Earlier this year, I was certain the Court would rule against Colorado, but would reject Trump’s claim of absolute immunity. Now, having reconciled Trump’s absorption of both the legislative and judicial branches, I recognize we’re all that’s left to take responsibility for our destiny.
BJK, That’s always been the case. No matter how much Reich or Fox or CNN etc. wants to rattle everyone’s cage, this isn’t really a left right thing. The supporters of Trump and Bernie Sanders are left over from occupy wall street and the tea party movement. The media wants you to believe that one party is significantly more evil than the other. Our kids and grandkids can see that both sides are evil, and elevating one by merely denigrating the other makes you look like a brainwashed fool.
Chuck, While I don’t entirely disagree, I would note that the lesser of two evils typically is a lot less evil. Moreover, if Biden is our nominee, then I view our job as voting in as many down-ballot progressives as possible to increasingly exert the kind of pressure that has the best shot at bringing about change.
I have "Chuck" blocked. If you look at his account you will see that he promotes extremist right propaganda. He trolls Dem accounts trying to weaken support for Biden. I see this approach on Twitter (X) too. Trolls promoting the ideas of the left to try to split the pro-democracy coalition.
Daniel, Because Chuck’s reply had elicited 2 “likes” prior to my responding, I took great care to draft a comment that would encourage rather than shut down communication.
But there is no defense of what Trump is trying to do - there is no Republican Party … it’s DEAD - do you only have democracy and fascism- there’s nothing diplomatic to say about supporting fascism in USA
Chuck. History has taught us that this is a false equivalency. One side is much more evil. one side wants to kill democracy and has been working at it for the past 40years. Do you want us to have to experience a Trump reign that will be an oligarchical christofascist reign? If you think basic human rights are being challenged now, just wait to see what you and your family loose under a DT rule. Democracy is at stake. This is not two opponents working within the laws of our Constitution about different ways to achieve basically similar goals. This is fascism vs democracy. Do you want us to go through what Germany has gone through before we see the truth and fight for democracy?
Linda, Bill Clinton repealed glass stegal, signed NAFTA and the telecommunications act. Hillary was eager to go to war in Iraq and Libya with catastrophic results. Joe Biden lied about his college degrees, supported the crime bill and probably raped Tara Reade.
The FBI lied about the veracity of hunter’s laptop a month before the election and apparently lied about j6 and provided salacious photo ops to the media in the maralago raid. The FBI knew that the Russia collusion hoax was a lie but said nothing when the media reported on the Steele dossier as if it were gospel. Both sides are evil. Given that they represent petulant, finger pointing, morons, it can’t come as a surprise. The surprising part is when either side is obtuse enough to get on their high horse about the unsavoriness of the other.
I’m not sure about the Christo part but the fascist part has been slow rolling since Reagan. It’s bipartisan. Pretend democrats are noble if you want. At least republicans tell you they intend to fuck you on behalf of your boss. Democrats tell you what you want to hear to get elected and then murder Libyans Iraqis Palestinians with a bloated military while not quite being able to close Guantanamo or fix flints water. I want to live in a country where the average citizen isn’t a complete brainwashed moron. I like Spain. And my Spanish is horrible so I can’t be sure what they are f discussing . But they had a civil war and haven’t forgotten that there was plenty of blame to go around.
It’s time to show our numbers! When push comes to shove, the massive LGBTQIA community, most brown & black people, most women, simply will not stand for more oppression, fewer rights, book banning and other Fascist ideals. The right owns the media so they put out the bias. Can’t wait to see their f’ing faces when they must come to terms with their lack of popular support.
Frankom, As scary as it is to witness a near-fatal weakening of our institutions, my belief that enough of us will stay in the fight keeps me working. Moreover, I carry on my person words from U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis who once wrote, “Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossible before they were done.”
I’m puzzled and appalled by those who support people such as Trump who spend most of their time talking about what they are against, denigrating anyone who is “other” and trying to rile up their opponents when that energy could be used to actually do something. Perhaps I shouldn’t hope for that given what they might do. In tonight’s substack from Heather Cox Richardson she reported on this instagram post from Trump:
Under the headline “WHAT’S NEXT FOR AMERICA?” were the words “INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED DRIVEN BY THE CREATION OF A UNIFIED REICH,”
I don’t know whether to assume the use of the word reich here is more giving the liberals the finger or not, but I’m going to assume he’s telling us who he is and what he’ll do. Believe him and vote like it’s your last chance to do so or it might be.
I thought about adding a joke to that effect but as I don’t know the etymology of the name and because the origin of words and names that look the same are often very different I didn’t want to go there.
Justices Alito and Thomas continue to PROVE that "we the people" MUST elect democrats into the "White House" for the next 4 or 5 elections to purge these right wing zealots from the court. Alito's claims "my wife did it" are the words of a COWARD who simply wants to be able to continue his right wing assault on our rights - ie Citizen's United, gutting the Voting Rights Act, overturning Affirmative Action at top universities, overturning Roe, and LOTS more to come. In Thomas's case we KNOW his "wife did it" because she was right in the middle of the attempt at overturning the 2020 election - in my view, she (along with several right wing members of Congress) SHOULD have been indicted (along with Trump) in the CONSPIRACY to overthrow a "free and fair election." And, now these two judges will be right in the middle of finding a way to block Trump's January 6th trial from happening before the election. If "we the people" don't put these republicans "out to pasture" - with Trump having to face the consequences for ALL of his CRIMINAL conduct - we deserve the consequences - and the balance of the court will become more lopsided. It must be "all hands on deck" as the election approaches. Joe Biden is working to help the workers affected by the pull out of corporations from their cities - whether they know it or not! (It's Biden's - and our - responsibility to help more and more of them to know this - BEFORE the election!
David, I do wish Biden and the various Democrats running for office could reach the "proud" Republicans, but it is not likely any time soon. They are now addicted to their position of feeding off anger, fear, hate, and resentment being fed to them every single day by the media, their representatives, their neighbors, and Donald Trump. They have chosen to feel those negative emotions all the time rather than look for something positive, like caring for others, thinking deeply about what is going on, shutting off their media feeds, and getting out to see what global warming is doing to the world. They won't because they are unfortunately, comfortable in their hate et al and blaming the wrong people for their woes, which may not even be woes if they honestly examined where they are now compared to say, 4 years ago. That's scary and they don't want to look at it. They would rather put fear on the rest of us.
In 2020 70 million registered voters who mostly trend Democratic failed to vote. FT6 has identified about 13 million unregistered folk who trend heavily Democratic. If we get these two groups out, we win, regardless what Republicans do.
IMHO if FT6 is funded and functions in N. Carolina -- 16 electoral votes, and Florida -- 30, we sweep.
Daniel, exactly right! Please choose your favorite GOTV activity, everybody. Seize the time! Prioritize even one two-hour set a week and we will get those infrequent voters to the polls. There is a smorgasbord of any approach to voters that you prefer. There are: phone banks (https://sites.google.com/view/wisdems-call-team-resource-hub/home; https://sisterdistrict.com/volunteer/), or postcarding (free postcarding for moms https://action.momsrising.org/survey/2024_Postcards_May/ ; or the easiest postcards to write are Blue Wave Postcards, or Activate America ) or old fashioned opportunities to knock on doors with the candidate of your choice. Onward!
Only if they reside in states that aren't safe R in electoral college votes. Which is probably one of the reasons they don't vote. I lived in Texas most of my life where voting D for a federal rep, senator or POTUS was pissing into a hurricane.
Where I live, Florida, many do not know they are unregistered. Also a lot of voter intimidation. Need to run a gauntlet of MAGA/Proud Boys. Abortion on the ballot will bring out the votes.
Based on the demographics, Tejas can be a purple state verging blue. The cities are entirely blue. Check out voterizer.org. https://voterizer.org/
Ruth, these republicans living on fear, anger, hate and resentment will eventually burn out. I can't remember what book I was reading but it was discussing how those emotions: fear, anger, hate and resentment create so many problems internally causing more illness for the individual. Individuals that prefer kindness, caring, empathy and compassion live healthier more productive lives. You simply cannot sustain the massive energy required to fuel those negative emotions. In time, those that live that way will either pass away or decide to seek help to improve their lives. It is my hope that we will be able to reach some of them before the election! Vote Blue, America!!!
Peggy, I think you are right about those folks burning out. I know what those emotions do to me when I permit them to invade my space, even when they are being experienced by someone else. I do wish those folks would choose life and some degree of happiness.
Ruth, my daughter calls it 'stinkin thinkin'. We need to know when those emotions are getting the better of us and take a break from the chaos. I spend time in my garden, read a book, share a glass of wine with a friend, and let my soul relax. I wish I could somehow convince these people to seek help and counsel. It does work wonders! After an absolutely horrendous divorce and my mom passing, I sought counsel and it was my saving grace! I got back up, dusted myself off and began living my best life!! I don't want to lose our Democracy and will work hard to defend it; however, I also know that I need to keep my sanity, too. Vote Blue, America!!
Peggy, I can feel when I am being overwhelmed by the struggles and first of all, read:
mysteries, historical fiction, history, science, and memoirs mostly, but other things too. I do read politics, but not more than one of those at a time. I find I skip magazine articles that present a point of view that sounds like sour grapes or is a poorly informed opinion (I used to read straight through magazines but not anymore). I sing in a group that performs early American music in costume, and write Haiku occasionally. I also have a boxes garden on my balcony with flowers, green onions, and potatoes. I just have to make myself get up and do something or I can sit at my computer for hours without realizing the time has passed, then I wonder why I sometimes feel so negative and frustrated. I have to remember that I need my energy to deal with the insanity of this election and the non-tech things are the best ways to re-energize.
That is so true, Ruth! I would love to see your group perform, that sounds like so much fun! Gardening is so relaxing for me, too. I am afraid what is missing from some of these people is actual fun! When we know we must step away from all of this and reconnect with the joys that surround us, we do it. Unfortunately, I am afraid those people do sit at their computers constantly streaming everything that makes them feel such hate and anger! If they would pursue non-tech activities that took their mind away from all of it, imagine how much calmer they would feel!
Point taken. But I wonder if "burn out" will occur due to a "long battle" with the rest of us, or will they stop simply because they manage to stir up so much anger that they run roughshod over the nation and democrscy itself? Just know that there is NO guaranteed outcome from all of this hatred, meanness, and need to control (today LA became first state to basically outlaw abortion meds; in my state (TX), Gov. Abbott pardoned a convicted "Black Lives Matter" killer).
David, I know what you are saying. The fact is, we are all tired of this 'constant' battle. I know in my heart they will never stop, but I also know that we MUST never stop defending our Democracy! Vote Blue, America!!
Ruth I think that Republican Party is DEAD - no one will come forward to challenge Trump bc billionaires are behind him controlling the money in America
If we win back the House, Senate & White House, Ginny Thomas WILL be held accountable, along with Jordan, Johnson, etc. who participated in some way in the January 6th insurrection.
I can't believe she is not a defendant in the Arizona fake electors case. At a minimum, she is a material witness against former Thomas law clerk Eastman in GA, AZ and potentially MI and WI.
BTW, apparently she used her husband's SCOTUS email for some of it!
Trump has left an indelible mark on politics. If he is elected he will burn the democracy down. If he does not get elected he and his supporters will burn the place down anyway. Even if he is off the scene (he has not looked after his health particularly well and he is ancient) the Republican replacements and the completely ideologically driven SCOTUS and the lower courts will still continue to burn the democracy to the ground. God help America, and I don’t mean the great idol god of the evangelical nationalists.
Trump spoke to the NRA recently making the outrageous statement Biden should have gotten the electric chair. In reality Trump is a traitor to our country (where are the missing documents? He also just said he would do anything for anyone who paid him a billion dollars!). Didn’t they use to put traitors to death?
WE don't control the media. Neither does the DNC. In order to repeat our message, WE need to be persistent. DNC REACH provides the means to broadcast the comments. https://democrats.org/reach/
WE can send it...every day as a press release to media outlets. To social media.
WE can channel Taylor Swift, who has millions of followers on Instagram and X. Most Gen Z do not rely on MSM...use Tic Tok, Instagram, Facebook for their news.
Meanwhile millions of unregistered folks trend heavily Democratic. Register Democrats -- save the world.
Plus Trump’s Truth Social company lost more than $300 million in its first quarter as a public company, and its revenue fell to under $1 million
BYTHE ASSOCIATED PRESS
May 21, 2024 at 5:58 AM EDT
Trump Media and Technology Group, the owner of former President Donald Trump’s social networking site Truth Social, lost more than $300 million last quarter!
I tweaked it and sent it to the email you provided.
Can you imagine if Biden had said such an outrageous statement? It would be all over the news.
These people are idiots. I can no longer be friends with most Republicanns. They inflame me (Cheney and Kinzinger exceptions). They are all about money for themselves.
I went to a dinner. There were executives there from Ford. When I spoke about how well my sister’s Prius held up, the hostess quietly explained to me, ‘We don’t talk about other car companies. We’re Ford people.’
That’s not all. I found out they were staunch Republicans. And boozers. The one man had a red, puffy face & bloated belly. Apparently he had a LOT of money that the hostess’s sister-in-law found attractive. She married him (for his money) as was most unhappy.
Agreed, Ken! I do hope Biden and Dems on down the line win in November but continue to worry that even if that happens, what difference will it make? tRump and his Magaminions are going to react viciously and violently, making the last attempt to over throw the government look like a dress rehearsal, which I truly believe it was. Republicans have become so much more emboldened and organized than they were in 2020. November longer are they afraid to show their true colors. I am frankly surprised they haven’t started wearing Nazi swatstikas on the red ties! tRump is more deranged than ever, falling off the rails of accepted decorum further with every tweet and speech! And still he lives!
You are absolutely right, Professor Reich! The bird is permanently hoisted in our direction by their party of fascism and anarchy.
My feeling is Biden is POTUS NOW! He needs to use his office NOW to stand our ground against the violence and hate speech. He needs to be campaigning LOUDLY NOW against the corrupt SCOTUS! He needs to call out the LIES NOW that Bannon and other tRumpets are touting and tell American people why these are anti-American sentiments right in our own midst. Waiting for a Democratic wave in November to do anything about the clear and present danger in our midst is not going to stop this tsunami!
"If he does not get elected he and his supporters will burn the place down anyway."
Ken, I believe some may try but this isn't last time. Preparations have most certainly been made for that outcome should those supporting an insane criminal take up arms.
Agree Adam. I think though that the ‘burn’ will continue. Not necessarily with outright violent insurrection (although this may happen in some parts of the country) but with more extreme state legislature laws, more banned books, more stripping of rights from minorities, more extreme ultranationalist actions that the democrats will go along with like the boarder wall and immigration injustices for fear of loosing votes. The absence of reasonable debate in congress and the mass polarisation of the population. Intimidation of public officials, misogyny, alternative facts and the dismantling of civil society. This cancer will continue to spread even under a democratic regime.
Professor Reich: well, it's true, the average working american WAS ignored, overlooked and over-exploited by the rich. but the mistake these working americans are making is believing that the rich are not the ultra-conservative, anti-privacy, control freaks they are, who will step in to working americans' lives and tell them all what they can and can't do, will treat them as badly as they believe the "coastal elites" are doing. the only exceptions to this control is wealth, and working americans are like fish on a hook if they believe the delusion peddled by the uber-wealthy that they too will one day become obscenely wealthy, like their heroes.
oh, there's one descriptor that you forgot in your description of us liberals: avocado-toast eating.
Jamie, FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols, which are short-chain carbohydrates (sugars) that the small intestine absorbs poorly. Some people experience digestive distress after eating them. Symptoms include: Cramping. Most people do not have a problem with these, More have a greater problem from eating processed foods instead of whole foods. That’s a whole other long discussion. If you are interested, I suggest you start by reading Dr Michael greger’s books and looking into Dr Esselstyn’s Lifestyle Clinic for cardiac patients at Cleveland Clinic.
FODMAPS are certain foods , usually certain fruits or vegetables that draw moisture into the digestive tract. that can cause issues. Avocados are FODMAPS. It is abbreviated because it has terms that most people are not familiar with, but biochemists would know.
Hmmm.... avocados are heavy in monosaturated fats, which are considered healthy, & relatively low in sugars, which Linda Querry says is what FODMAPs mostly are.
I love avocados & eat them often. 1 thing I'm concerned about them is how bad for you they are when they get brown, which they so easily do. But otherwise I've had no trouble with them that I know of & they are the most vitamin & mineral packed fruit around.
Jaime ; I like avocados, but must use them sparingly. I get reactions from the excess water they draw into my digestive system. Moderation , for me, is key.
Avocados are associated with 'libs' for some 'reason' I was just pointing out that they can't be enjoyed by everyone. Except in moderation, if at all. Easy to look up. Actually. "Google is your friend", as my husband says.
I HATE avocados. They were force fed to us in my California nursery school. The caregiver had an avocado tree in her yard. I guess she thought she was giving us a "treat" (actually I think she was feeding them to us to save money on food costs). I still recall gagging and choking the green stuff down so she wouldn't get mad and yell at me!
I love avocados but it can be hard to get them just ripe. If they're unripe, they're not fun too eat, but after ripening, they get brown so fast, & they're not good overripe, either.
I guess it's just foods that absorb a lot of water, or moisture, causing problems for some. See; we learn a little something every day. They can be eaten, with moderation.
myth: "trickle down economics". If you repeat a lie enough times, others will believe it--especially if you buy opinions of fake "think tanks" and "journalists".
This native progressive Californian is officially going on SubStack record as life long detesting avocados. Slimy green stuff that to me tastes like skunk smell. Avocado oil and mayonnaise, that’s okay, the taste is gone. Enough other ingredients (lots) can be added to guacamole to make it edible .
Who would have thought avocados could get such a response. I would hope that it would be a given that if a remark is made especially about a food item, that we would all know that some people will love them, some will hate them and some will be indifferent.
I just woke up, it’s 4:30 in the morning and I just read this piece. I do like Tom tomorrow quite a lot so thanks for that Dr. Reich. As for the rest of it, well, as I said yesterday, rule of law is dead to the dastardly Supreme Court. Now they are the SC of Project 2025.
It's about control. Their ability to hurt people, manipulate people's emotions of anger and fear, have enemies, and create conflict confirms their superiority and separateness from others. It is a human conditioned sickness, in the extreme.
Just because the billionaires buy seats does not mean we have to wait until another election cycle to get rid of impostors! States Rights! or a National referendum! no more waiting YEARS for justice anymore!!! Our Freedom is at stake!!! Justice NOW!
Why is American politics so stupid? I can't understand the rage, the neglect of rational arguments, the lack of civility, but above all the absence of substance, of content.
Why you do not talk about the cost of housing, the cost of living, the unequality in earnings and possessions, world peace, the change in the electoral system, the role of courts and judges.
I understand the shivers about the childisch mobster, but the political debate is even in polarised surroundings at least two sided.
So, if the other side does not talk about content, the debate and quality of politics becomes as poor as it is now. Not fingers and invectives, please; the other cannot be beaten. Arrange public debat with them about subjects that matter, the social quality of the society.
The American electorate has become profoundly shallow, pursuing revenge over substance. Voters say they care about unaffordable housing and human rights. But they don’t really care about anything except bread and circuses and owning the libs. Some day, they may see how that lack of substance has come back to bite them.
Thank you for this, Tom. I completely agree about the lack of content. And for some reason, global warming isn’t a voting issue, it seems, because prices haven’t returned to 2019 levels.
People who talk policy are dismissed as “bean counters.” My ignorance is superior to your knowledge, and I refuse to try to understand your knowledge. Your knowledge hurts my brain. And my feelings.
How can you talk to uneducated illiterates? They go on emotion and visuals, not the facts.
They are lonely, isolated people who want to identify with a cause. That’s what Robert Reich talked about in his previous newsletter.
The two presidential debates will expose Trump as the uneducated, lying, cheating, criminal & dictator he is and will be. Hopefully they will enlist fact checkers because we all know he will be throwing out lies
It's not just your's. Canada's politics are the mirror image of your politics. Our left is the extreme FU-to-everyone side and our right is the moderate middle. Our government's answer to our affordability crisis is to tax everyone harder, keep interest rates up, and hire 30% of the labour force to work in government. And the entire discourse is polarized to heck!
DD/SS. The GOP/Right has been giving Us the finger for decades. I wouldn't doubt that their snores sound like, "Fffffffuuuuuuukkkk....... Uuuuuuuuu." Ever since McConnell pointedly and expressly and openly blocked Garland's appointment to SCOTUS, they haven't even tried to be subtle about it.
So why do We keep rising to their baiting? They keep saying their objective is to "own the Libs". Screeching outrage every time they are deliberately and exceedingly rude just convinces them that "It's working." Which just encourages them to keep on doing what they're doing. We would be better off to match their insults and outrageous behavior with laughter. Like watching the antics of chimpanzees at the zoo: '"Look at the funny monkeys! Aren't they silly?"
There is a response. Stay civil (or quiet) but effectively recruit youth and women to vote this November. Women have been brought up/acculturated to be nice AND effective. We got this gals! Blue up and down the ballot. That should show them.
CaptainPatch, or say something like, that's ridiculous. I love the House Reps, Moskowitz's use of humor and Crocket's use of exposing their playbook to their faces. They are not taking the bait. They're using strategy and I love it!
Righteous indignation is what liberals do best. It’s as if democrats want to lose so they can complain more and raise campaign funds to waste on worthless candidates.
Yes! The mistake Democrats make is not realizing that the “When they go low, we go high” of Michelle Obama, et al is the thinking of yesteryear, when (maybe) people were still “decent.” It’s a new world, a new war. Like Vietnam compared to WWII - and you have to fight fire with fire.
I daresay we are actually in our first real “cyberwar” and the old guys on the Hill are too old-school to understand it. Meanwhile, hackers and genius programmers are using the internet to make us fight amongst ourselves, some probably rogue but many, I’ll bet, sponsored by Russia and China to bring America down. Not to mention the Republican party. The ones that understand the power of digital communication.
Yeah that old turtle McConnell caused all of this - if he had worked on impeachment the 1st or 2nd time for Trump - we wouldn’t be in this situation - Trump would be a blubbering idiot trying to do right wing second rate talk shows
To answer the question, "Was Trump joking, or was he seriously contemplating two more terms if elected, in violation of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution?" CNI says 100% absolutely he was not joking. From "When to Believe Narcissists,"
100% the party of narcissism takes great joy in triggering everyone they don't like as well, In large part because it makes these small people feel big, & the constant outrage exhausts those of us with hearts, empathy & live in reality, & if we quit, they win.
I interpreted the Quadefendant's comment to mean that he is the rightful president now, in exile. If that's the case, the 22nd Amendment prohibits him from running again. How 'bout we make that argument?
Sam Ray, Narcissists are hard to deal with. They by their nature have nothing positive to offer anyone, yet they do seem to draw a lot of susceptible people to themselves.
Indeed it is no coincidence that trump & the GOP also are hard to deal with, by their nature have nothing positive to offer, & yet draw in a lot of susceptible people to themselves. https://samray.substack.com/p/trumpism-is-narcissism
I sense a theme. Clarence Thomas is not the god of his house either. Idk Alito's wife but in reality, the other three show most to all of the signs of being pathologically narcissistic.
“For decades, a large and growing number of working Americans have felt overlooked, dismissed, and disrespected.”
The irony and frustration is that the feeling of being
overlooked, dismissed and disrespected has been
mostly due to republican policies and republican
disinformation. Republicans are the ones giving giant tax breaks to corporations that create trillions of dollars of debt, then tell us they must cut back spending on services and programs for seniors, low-income families & children. In other words, they expect us to make up for the lost income they created by giving corporations a huge tax cut.That’s
not right. But the real kick in the pants to voters is
republicans get rewarded for cutting corporate tax
The thing is, the more we react the happier those semi-literates are. We need to ignore them and appeal to the Independents and undecideds. Those people are capable of analysis and understanding. They may not be as liberal as we, but they uniformly prefer democracy to fascism AND they know the difference.
The last time the number of justices on the Supreme Court was changed was in 1869. @ that time the U.S. had 9 federal districts. One justice for each district. Today there are 13 federal districts. In 1869 the U.S. population was around 38 million people. Today’s population is over 335 million people! It’s time President Biden.
Keith, While your reasoning is sound, first, we must retake the House, hold our 49 Senate seats, flip a Republican-held seat to give us the requisite 50 (with the VP casting the tie-breaking vote) allowing for filibuster reform, and, obviously, hold the White House. All doable if we do the work.
Unfortunately flipping doesn't matter if you get a Sinema, Manchin, or now Fetterman. They're the ones doing the middle digital flipping routine. The joke's on us.
I think there should be rules that a candidate who misrepresents themselves should be kicked out of their seat, if they betray their constituents, like a George Santos type, or Krysten Sinema, or
Joe Manchin.. they lied to get into office, to get power from the voters. Then they don't represent them. They should be fired
Exactly. Anyone else would in their job. Why not a prominent job that pays nearly $200,000/year? It is falsifying your application. That is grounds for dismissal! To enter this country legally, immigrants, which they seem to detest, must be truthful on their applications. Therefore, the immigrants have more integrity than these high paying politicians.
Also, people voted on FALSE premises. If they knew the truth, it is unlikely those con artists would have been voted into office.
"Also, people voted on FALSE premises."
A most salient point Marlo. Thank you.
Everyone knows Trump holds an elevated level of distain for the people of this country who are free thinkers. Why? Because that group is almost impossible to control. The poorly educated comprise the foundation of Trump's supporters because they just don't know any better. Sheep to the Mutton-Master. Just think for a moment what this country would be like today if Trump would have been an honest man.
You are so correct and that is why there has been an attack to degrade on education for years and why the Democrats need to focus on school board elections, as the Republicans have. Trump said he loves the uneducated and this is why. They are easily manipulated.
If we think today’s voters don’t t do critical thinking, have media literacy, know civics and history, wait till the cohort of today’s school age children are old enough to vote.
His "Beluved UnEds" . .he wuz just kidding tho . . .
... not to mention the recent Supreme Court "justices" during their nomination hearings
Totally agree Laurie. Misrepresentation should NOT be tolerated.
Yes, yes and indeed yes!
Agree on principle, the problem is the mechanism. Unlike state and local level elected positions, federal offices don’t have the recall election process except to wait out the term until the next regular election. It’s the rare elected congressperson that will resign under mounting public pressure or even criminal or civil indictment. The only other mechanism, as in Santos’ case is the House or Senate itself voting for expulsion of a member; historically, those instances can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Federal recall elections of members of congress would need a constitutional amendment. That’s not going to happen.
Just because "This is the way we have always done it" does not mean That's not going to happen. the Gordian knots of deliberately bollixed legislation will have to be cut somehow. If the MAGAs can just ignore precedent and the Constitution, a way to do this quickly must be found. If there is a will, there is a way. We will see who is part of the problem or part of the solution! They are threatening the lives of women and the freedom of all humans! We need a redesign of the mechanism, because it is not working for the Humans! Government of, by and For the people! Remember!?? They are killing women and freedom for all!, "Right" along with Justice! We need a redesign that does not involve corruption, dirty money and a rogue stacked COURT!
Michael, good point. This is something we should all write to our Congresspersons and let them know we want reformed, All these jobs need to have accountability processes.
so should tge SCOTUS LIARS BARRETT AND KAVANAUGH
Hard to do on ideological points.
dnkarr, I would note, aside from Manchin and Sinema, Democrats, including Fetterman, largely support filibuster reform, a critical factor for moving legislation, currently stalled, to the floor for debate and an up or down majority vote. Regarding Fetterman, I would add, barring his appalling stance on Israel/Palestine, overall, his views not only comport with mine, but also run counter to Manchin and Sinema.
So now we have an ideological purity test on the left, just like the ideological purity test on the right, and just who is the person who determines what is ideologically pure.
Oh I see now it is whether one supports the terorist organization HAMAS or not.
If you support HAMAS you are ideologically pure leftist.
No wonder liberalism is in such deep shit.
The same whiners kvetching over Gaza, don't give a rats about Ukraine.
I have never seen a single protest, much less the tons of "ink" spilled, on substacks like this, as regards the documented ongoing genocide in Ukraine.
Putin and Trump are in their glory, and if this leftist and Muslim whining keeps up, between the two of them they will control the world.
Putin will roll over Europe, Trump will stand by and let him, and the world will sink into a new dark age
Fetterman is a Jew and he stands by Israel, just like all the world's Muslims, including America's, and campus idiots, stand by Gaza.
I can not find one Muslim who blames HAMAS for the slaughter of Jews, and the slaughter of Muslims whom they use as human shields. There is no such thing as a secular Muslim, one is either a Muslim or an apostate.
But the Jews that criticize Israel are legion.
Secular Jews are a dime a dozen, including the owner of this substack.
If you are a Jew who is appalled at Israel's starving and bombing innocent civilians, then you are for Hamas? What twisted logic got you to that conclusion Mr Farrar? And with how many Muslims have you actually discussed the tyranny of Hamas and its stranglehold over its own people in Gaza. You obviously are not familiar with the various Israeli/Palestinian organizations and individuals that have been working together for decades towards peace in the region. Here's one source of info on this issue: +972mag.org. Also check out CNN's Amanpour and her interviews with Palestinians and Israelis who are working together to overcome the barriers to peace.
I watch Chrisitane Amanpour on BBC Mon through Friday, and her Muslims sympathies bleed through, here mother is British her father Iranian.
It is the HAMAS Ministry of Health, that is pumping out video's, photos and propaganda, and llying at that. They claimed 35,000 Israeli's were killed, the UN has finally got around to cutting that in half, and half of those killed have been HAMAS battalions, yet people like you believe that they are all innocent civilians.
Christianne and even the UN were accepting the reports of HAMAS as valid and at face value, but when the IDF posts a video, they are sure to caveat it as "unverified".. talk of double standards.
What does Peace mean to Islam. Peace means no state of Israel, and what Jews live within the Islamic state are second class citiziens, dhimmis.
Jews for Palestine are secular Jews, atheistic even, Jew by tradition, but not loyal to Judaism.
There are no such thing as a secular Muslim, one is either a Muslim, a kufr or an apostate (murtadd). A Muslims first loyalty is to the Ummah, the world wide community of Muslims, there is no such thing in the Jewish tradition.
The Quran forbids a believer to lie to save his own skin, but it demands a believer to lie for the sake of Islam.
There is no such thing in Judaism or Christianity.
How do I know these things, because I have studied Islam, the Quran, hadiths and biography of Muhammad by ibn Ishaq., and considered by Muslims to be an apostate, a kufr or kaffir.
I am appalled at the duplicity, the hypocrisy of the left, and the campus idiots, who demonstrate, gush violence over Gaza, but completely ignore and ignored the real genoicide going on in Urkraine.
Then again there aren't rich Ukraine kids, attending expensive and prestigous American universities on Ukrainian wheat money, as there Arab counterparts
And there are no professorial chairs and fellowships being funded by Ukrainian wheat money, as there is by Arab oil money
There were 89,952 were students from 21 Arab countries, and all of them at prestigious Universities.
972mag.com
William, I am not sure but it seems you are basing your conclusions on a very limited data set. There are many who agree with the ICC.
The ICC is seeking arrest warrants for five individuals – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar, Mohamed Diab Ibrahim al-Masri (also known as Mohamed Deif) and Ismail Haniyeh.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/5/21/who-are-the-experts-backing-icc-warrants-against-israel-hamas-leaders
Today, 17 March 2023, Pre-Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court (“ICC” or “the Court”) issued warrants of arrest for two individuals in the context of the situation in Ukraine: Mr Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and Ms Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova
https://www.icc-cpi.int/news/situation-ukraine-icc-judges-issue-arrest-warrants-against-vladimir-vladimirovich-putin-and
Linda: You say there are many who agree with the ICC,. That statement is an appeal to a logical fallacy called the Bandwagon effect.
I hope the ICC succeeds in it's desire to arrest Bibi and his crew. Yahaya Sinwar and his crew, Putin and his crew I have no use for these right wing extremists, anymore than I have for the right wing extremists among us.
Arrest warrants are one thing, arresting the perps another.
However arrest warrants are one thing, the damage that these people do is another. Putin is successfully waging a war of genocide on the Ukrainians despite the arrest warrants. Sinway is still using his people as human shields and cannon fodder despite arrest warrants, the Israeli right wing is still dispossessing Muslims despite arrest warrants.
I am not basing my conclusion on a limited set of data, but on the ideological foundations of the the actors.
Nobody seems to want to blame Putin and Iran for the start of the Gaza war. Does the world just go blind?
There is a reason for that, latent, subconscious antisemitism lurks in the heart of the left, it doesn't help that the right wing is all in on Netanyahu. Partly because of the evangelical component, which is also antisemitic because in their mind Jews are Christ killers, but in their end times pathology, 240,000 of them will convert. But ideologically the right identifies with the right, autocrats are sympathetic with and align with other autocrats.
The American right and the Israel right are brothers in arms,. Interestingly although theologically Judaism, Christianity and Islam are as different as night and day, the cultural effects and the eschatalogy of Christianity and Islam, not Judaism, are the same. Both have a day of judgement and reckoning after death, both have a paradise and a hell, both are Manichean with a good god and bad god., both have demons, they differ only in the identity and name of their god.
The involvement of Russia is not apparent, and for most still is not, despite the fact that Oct 7th was his birthday and Iran via HAMAS gave him a gift to distract the weak western mind from Ukraine.
The ferbile western mind has the attention span of a crow, and is easily distracted to chase the newest bright shiny object
They also have an innate susceptibility to propaganda especially if it is emotionally laced with visual images, actual and mental, regardless of source, and ideology.
Propaganda, effectively employed, erects a barrier to critical thinking. Full stop,the world suddenly becomes "you are either with us or against us". with me or against me. Friend or enemy.
William, your words speak volumes. Could not have said it better. Reich needs to hear from you.
Especially if we don't even try! We need to know who we are voting for, as much as possible.
Laurie, Truth in advertising?!
Exactly!
Fetterman flipping?How is that? Explanation please.
Look - it just depends on your point-of-view - obviously. But here's an example opinion out there:
https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/fetterman-not-progressive-rcna130342
If you were into Fetterman as a progressive, it's difficult to abide his unquestioning pro-Israel stance given what we know about Gaza and that Bernie Sanders originally endorsed the guy. But hey Biden is unwavering in his support and sending more military aid. So Fetterman is definitely supporting the prez. I guess we'll see.
Idon't concur with you conflating the Gaza affair with progressive. I am progressive and I consider HAMAS ruthless, raping murdering cowards.
IMO there is one party that is responsible for the sad state of affairs in Gaza and that is HAMAS.
They flew out of the strip, raped, slaughtered, even babies and infants, women, elderly, disabled and then ran back to Gaza with hostages, to use, along with the people whom they are suppose to govern, as human shields. Cowards.
HAMAS, and indeed Islam, are at war with the Jews, it started in Medina when Muhammad had the 600 members of the Jewish tribe Quaryza beheaded, because they wouldn't accept him as a prophet, but used false pretenses.
Verses 1295-1296, Book 56, hadith 139 al Bukhari says that the day of Judgment (when the mehdi -messiah) appears won't happen until all of the Jews are obliterated, and it is quoted in the HAMAS covenant along with the preamble that says Israel cannot exist.
That is the definition of genocide, and has not been repudiated.
I am no partisan fan of Israel, and Bibi, his political supporters, the settlers are all criminals, bu they are not the state of Israel, the state of Israel is a liberal secular state that recognizes women's rights, and doesn't force them to wear bee keeper suits, and recognizes the humanity of all of it's citiizens and has recognized gay marriage long before Congress, under Biden, passed the respect for marriage act.
Islam kills gays, and oppresses women. The women of Gaza are happy Stockholm Syndrome, just like MAGA women.
In closing as regards Gaza, Israel is fighting for it's existence, while the Muslim world, and "leftists" wish it out of existence..
I do not condone what Israel has done to the Arabs, but the Arabs started it in 1948, when they tried to wipe it out of existence (a genocide) and having failed, they tried again and again and again, like the insane people they are, 1956, 1967, 1973 and each time they lost, and each time Israel expanded its border to secure it's population.
That which you call the West Bank, once belonged to Jordan, Jordan abandoned it.
None of the Arab neighbors want anything to do with the "Palestinians", they prevent them entry and when they sneak in, they send them back, and Egypt is building it's own wall to keep out the Gazans.
None of this would have happened had not the Arab neighbors of Israel had not tried to obliterate it, time and time again.
The images of destruction of dead and wounded children do tug at the heart strings, but the blame lies with HAMAS,
The images of death and destruction in Ukraine ,inflicted by Putin, tug at the heart strings, but not a friggin peep from bleeding heart leftists and students. Not a peep mind you.
Because Ukraine is not on the list of concerns by the left, is it because it is a target of Putin's?
Two things happened on Oct 7th. Iran threw Putin a birthday party by sponsoring HAMAS attack on Israel.
and now the worlds attention is deflected from the real genocide underway in Ukriane, and focused on a fake genocide in Gaza.
and have attacked Israel 5 times while under a supposed cease fire. Blame Hamas for the consequences of their actions.
I have already answered this but here we go again. Fetterman is indeed a liberal, but not in your wheelhouse, because you demand fealty to the Israel is committing genocide caucus. And that is the problem with your kind, you demand that we eat the whole pizza, well this progressive doesn't like anchovies.
Smart move doofus, turn your friends and allies into enemies. No wonder progressivism is doomed, zombies define what is and is not a liberal and then chase those that don't fit their narrow minded view out of the camp.
Enjoy Trumplandia fool.,I'll be packing for Canada or Panama, if they will have me.
FieldTeam6.org
Agreed, along with a host of other organizations including Blue Wave, Markers for Democracy, Activate America, Swing Left, Reclaim Our Vote/Center for Common Ground, and the like.
Barbara Jo: I'm having a problem with the definition of the left
I thought of myself as a progressive, and progressives are considered to be left, are they not?
Does one have to eat the whole pizza to be a leftist, or can one eat a slice or two, or three
We must fight like mad in this uphill struggle.
I’m in!
Do you think the Dems in the House should attempt to impeach Thomas and Alito? At least to go on record, with the reasoning, even if it couldn’t pass right now?
VOTE BLUE, THROUGH AND THROUGH
I agree Keith and to go along with that, I believe there should also be term limits for justices on the Supreme Court!!
I've probably said this before but I highly agree that Supreme Court justices must be subject to strict term limits. Furthermore, there should be an annual in-house rating system among them to check for bias and corruption as well as an enforceable recusal system when necessary. This system should also apply to the chief Justice. Should any evidence of these behaviors be uncovered, that justice should be removed and appropriately prosecuted by a jury of his peers.
Keith, I agree that representation is utterly outdated. California must also get far more US senators and Reps based on population. So many Blue states are shamefully under-represented. Win next election first, put in more progressives, come out strong with change to prevent this Fascist bullshit and crush it into insignificance, preferably completely, but that may be unrealistic.
Two senators per state is locked into the constitution, the number of house members is no longer, having last been set at 435 by federal law in, I believe it was, the early 1920’s. The best solution is to remove the cap and ratio the number of house members based on the population of the least populous state. Wyoming has a population of approximately 582,000. California’s population is approximately 39,000,000. Using this example, California increases from 52 to 67. This also corrects the imbalance in the Electoral College.
That works! 👍🏼
I think Judge Merchant has proven to be a fair, thorough, impartial judge and would make a good Supreme Court Justice. But perhaps he is too old?
Yes, he would be a fine SC justice as he has shown himself to be highly BS proof. His judicial skills are so far removed from those of Aileen Cannon who should be disbarred and demoted to latrine cleaner in some crooked law firm.
Since recusal for conflict of interest among Supreme Court justices is voluntary, not mandatory as it should be, & we're unable to impeach or expel Alito & Thomas because Republicans won't go along with it, how about we just ignore any votes by these 2 illegitimate justices on cases where they have a clear conflict of interest, so any 5-4 decision becomes 3-4, & they lose?
Well, I’ve actually written the Supreme Court to say that if their decision to either grant Trump some sort of immunity, which is not found anywhere in the constitution or drag their decision out, and he wins in November, that they will have essentially made themselves irrelevant. This is because, if they rule at some point against him or his administration, Trump will just ignore that decision. This path is as clear as day.
They haven’t enforcement powers ,why adhere to any of their twisted findings?
the rule of law, damaged though it is by this court, is essential
Or stop paying them!
Oooh - I like that
Jamie R, I wish, but that cannot be done legally. Since Federal judges can only be removed through impeachment by the House of Representatives and conviction in the Senate. Judges and Justices serve no fixed term — they serve until their death, retirement, or conviction by the Senate. We have now seen how this is a weakness that the DT/MAGA. cult is exploiting, this is one of the ways that we need to change the mechanisms. What can Congress do if they disagree with a judicial ruling?
Congress can pass legislation to attempt to limit the Court's power: by changing the Court's jurisdiction; by modifying the impact of a Court decision after it has been made; or by amending the Constitution in relation to the Court. We need to elect a majority Democratic Congress and then do like Germany did after Hitler and put laws in place that protects against any authoritarian rule. I can only hope we can do this before we have to endure a Christofascist takeover
Linda, if Trump wins he will not give us a chance to do any of this.
Good point
The 1800s were when the first billionaires really transformed the world. Their effects are with us to till day: https://unorthodoxy.substack.com/p/donating-to-a-good-cause-how-billionaires
Any attempt to reform the courts or expand SCOTUS will be struck down in legal challenges decided by the very courts they are meant to reform. It's a dead letter.
Interesting idea. The Pigs will scream.
Keith, you did not finish your sentence about Biden. "It's time President Biden" does what?? Please finish your thought. Thank you.
I’m sorry. President Biden it is time to add more justices to the Supreme Court .
My suggestion? What the maximum amount of people allowed in the chamber? subtract 2 and make THAT the size of the court!
It's already a joke, so let's make it FUNNY.
Earlier this year, I was certain the Court would rule against Colorado, but would reject Trump’s claim of absolute immunity. Now, having reconciled Trump’s absorption of both the legislative and judicial branches, I recognize we’re all that’s left to take responsibility for our destiny.
BJK, That’s always been the case. No matter how much Reich or Fox or CNN etc. wants to rattle everyone’s cage, this isn’t really a left right thing. The supporters of Trump and Bernie Sanders are left over from occupy wall street and the tea party movement. The media wants you to believe that one party is significantly more evil than the other. Our kids and grandkids can see that both sides are evil, and elevating one by merely denigrating the other makes you look like a brainwashed fool.
Chuck, While I don’t entirely disagree, I would note that the lesser of two evils typically is a lot less evil. Moreover, if Biden is our nominee, then I view our job as voting in as many down-ballot progressives as possible to increasingly exert the kind of pressure that has the best shot at bringing about change.
I have "Chuck" blocked. If you look at his account you will see that he promotes extremist right propaganda. He trolls Dem accounts trying to weaken support for Biden. I see this approach on Twitter (X) too. Trolls promoting the ideas of the left to try to split the pro-democracy coalition.
Lynne, They do love Schadenfreude. Thank you for the reminder.
Yes that’s correct
Lynne, Thank you for writing. I was unaware.
"Chuck" is from Vladivostok.
Daniel, Because Chuck’s reply had elicited 2 “likes” prior to my responding, I took great care to draft a comment that would encourage rather than shut down communication.
Bots, trolls abound here. "Chuck" is a regular.
Daniel, While I believe you, I’m hardwired to reach for reconciliation.
I noticed. And a very thoughtful but concise reply it was!
But there is no defense of what Trump is trying to do - there is no Republican Party … it’s DEAD - do you only have democracy and fascism- there’s nothing diplomatic to say about supporting fascism in USA
Thanks Jaime; I appreciate your reply.
Chuksky is a troll.
No, one side is Nazi wannabes. The other side is not.
Thank you Terry! Spot on. And quite simple and obvious!
We’re past the point whether the relative evilness of the parties of the duopoly is worthy of discussion. The corporate coup is complete.
More from Vladivostok.
You’re cute with your tribalistic pith.
A fool, but cute.
Chuck. History has taught us that this is a false equivalency. One side is much more evil. one side wants to kill democracy and has been working at it for the past 40years. Do you want us to have to experience a Trump reign that will be an oligarchical christofascist reign? If you think basic human rights are being challenged now, just wait to see what you and your family loose under a DT rule. Democracy is at stake. This is not two opponents working within the laws of our Constitution about different ways to achieve basically similar goals. This is fascism vs democracy. Do you want us to go through what Germany has gone through before we see the truth and fight for democracy?
Linda, Bill Clinton repealed glass stegal, signed NAFTA and the telecommunications act. Hillary was eager to go to war in Iraq and Libya with catastrophic results. Joe Biden lied about his college degrees, supported the crime bill and probably raped Tara Reade.
The FBI lied about the veracity of hunter’s laptop a month before the election and apparently lied about j6 and provided salacious photo ops to the media in the maralago raid. The FBI knew that the Russia collusion hoax was a lie but said nothing when the media reported on the Steele dossier as if it were gospel. Both sides are evil. Given that they represent petulant, finger pointing, morons, it can’t come as a surprise. The surprising part is when either side is obtuse enough to get on their high horse about the unsavoriness of the other.
Chuck, if you want to live under a Christofascist cult rule, you are entitled.
I’m not sure about the Christo part but the fascist part has been slow rolling since Reagan. It’s bipartisan. Pretend democrats are noble if you want. At least republicans tell you they intend to fuck you on behalf of your boss. Democrats tell you what you want to hear to get elected and then murder Libyans Iraqis Palestinians with a bloated military while not quite being able to close Guantanamo or fix flints water. I want to live in a country where the average citizen isn’t a complete brainwashed moron. I like Spain. And my Spanish is horrible so I can’t be sure what they are f discussing . But they had a civil war and haven’t forgotten that there was plenty of blame to go around.
Chuck - get an eye checkup - Trump is clearly whacko
Susan, it is not worth trying to deal with a classic example of Dunning Kruger Effect. Big time.
I don’t know. Do you think Hitler, who Trump admires as well as Putin, both killers, was evil?
Barbara Jo, A hard pill to swallow, but WE will do it!!
SeekingReason, I appreciate hearing that you’re not deterred from the struggle ahead.
It’s time to show our numbers! When push comes to shove, the massive LGBTQIA community, most brown & black people, most women, simply will not stand for more oppression, fewer rights, book banning and other Fascist ideals. The right owns the media so they put out the bias. Can’t wait to see their f’ing faces when they must come to terms with their lack of popular support.
Scary
Scary.
Frankom, As scary as it is to witness a near-fatal weakening of our institutions, my belief that enough of us will stay in the fight keeps me working. Moreover, I carry on my person words from U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis who once wrote, “Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossible before they were done.”
Totally agree. I look forward to a happy November.
Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis also warned us:
“We must make our choice. We may have democracy, or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can't have both.”
Another one of his that’s one of my favorite quotes.
But most important things done for the good of the world had a moral compass
I’m puzzled and appalled by those who support people such as Trump who spend most of their time talking about what they are against, denigrating anyone who is “other” and trying to rile up their opponents when that energy could be used to actually do something. Perhaps I shouldn’t hope for that given what they might do. In tonight’s substack from Heather Cox Richardson she reported on this instagram post from Trump:
Under the headline “WHAT’S NEXT FOR AMERICA?” were the words “INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED DRIVEN BY THE CREATION OF A UNIFIED REICH,”
You can read that post here: https://open.substack.com/pub/heathercoxrichardson/p/may-20-2024?r=3p4cw&utm_medium=ios
I don’t know whether to assume the use of the word reich here is more giving the liberals the finger or not, but I’m going to assume he’s telling us who he is and what he’ll do. Believe him and vote like it’s your last chance to do so or it might be.
If only he were talking about Robert Reich!
Trump is 100% in with recreating Hitler's vision in a 4th reich.
Scary but hard to deny.
I thought about adding a joke to that effect but as I don’t know the etymology of the name and because the origin of words and names that look the same are often very different I didn’t want to go there.
Sioux = if projection and lack of self awareness had a baby
Chuck = discard
Justices Alito and Thomas continue to PROVE that "we the people" MUST elect democrats into the "White House" for the next 4 or 5 elections to purge these right wing zealots from the court. Alito's claims "my wife did it" are the words of a COWARD who simply wants to be able to continue his right wing assault on our rights - ie Citizen's United, gutting the Voting Rights Act, overturning Affirmative Action at top universities, overturning Roe, and LOTS more to come. In Thomas's case we KNOW his "wife did it" because she was right in the middle of the attempt at overturning the 2020 election - in my view, she (along with several right wing members of Congress) SHOULD have been indicted (along with Trump) in the CONSPIRACY to overthrow a "free and fair election." And, now these two judges will be right in the middle of finding a way to block Trump's January 6th trial from happening before the election. If "we the people" don't put these republicans "out to pasture" - with Trump having to face the consequences for ALL of his CRIMINAL conduct - we deserve the consequences - and the balance of the court will become more lopsided. It must be "all hands on deck" as the election approaches. Joe Biden is working to help the workers affected by the pull out of corporations from their cities - whether they know it or not! (It's Biden's - and our - responsibility to help more and more of them to know this - BEFORE the election!
David, I do wish Biden and the various Democrats running for office could reach the "proud" Republicans, but it is not likely any time soon. They are now addicted to their position of feeding off anger, fear, hate, and resentment being fed to them every single day by the media, their representatives, their neighbors, and Donald Trump. They have chosen to feel those negative emotions all the time rather than look for something positive, like caring for others, thinking deeply about what is going on, shutting off their media feeds, and getting out to see what global warming is doing to the world. They won't because they are unfortunately, comfortable in their hate et al and blaming the wrong people for their woes, which may not even be woes if they honestly examined where they are now compared to say, 4 years ago. That's scary and they don't want to look at it. They would rather put fear on the rest of us.
In 2020 70 million registered voters who mostly trend Democratic failed to vote. FT6 has identified about 13 million unregistered folk who trend heavily Democratic. If we get these two groups out, we win, regardless what Republicans do.
IMHO if FT6 is funded and functions in N. Carolina -- 16 electoral votes, and Florida -- 30, we sweep.
https://www.fieldteam6.org/about-us
Daniel, exactly right! Please choose your favorite GOTV activity, everybody. Seize the time! Prioritize even one two-hour set a week and we will get those infrequent voters to the polls. There is a smorgasbord of any approach to voters that you prefer. There are: phone banks (https://sites.google.com/view/wisdems-call-team-resource-hub/home; https://sisterdistrict.com/volunteer/), or postcarding (free postcarding for moms https://action.momsrising.org/survey/2024_Postcards_May/ ; or the easiest postcards to write are Blue Wave Postcards, or Activate America ) or old fashioned opportunities to knock on doors with the candidate of your choice. Onward!
It is critical to reach out to young voters.
Only if they reside in states that aren't safe R in electoral college votes. Which is probably one of the reasons they don't vote. I lived in Texas most of my life where voting D for a federal rep, senator or POTUS was pissing into a hurricane.
Where I live, Florida, many do not know they are unregistered. Also a lot of voter intimidation. Need to run a gauntlet of MAGA/Proud Boys. Abortion on the ballot will bring out the votes.
Based on the demographics, Tejas can be a purple state verging blue. The cities are entirely blue. Check out voterizer.org. https://voterizer.org/
Ruth, these republicans living on fear, anger, hate and resentment will eventually burn out. I can't remember what book I was reading but it was discussing how those emotions: fear, anger, hate and resentment create so many problems internally causing more illness for the individual. Individuals that prefer kindness, caring, empathy and compassion live healthier more productive lives. You simply cannot sustain the massive energy required to fuel those negative emotions. In time, those that live that way will either pass away or decide to seek help to improve their lives. It is my hope that we will be able to reach some of them before the election! Vote Blue, America!!!
Peggy, I think you are right about those folks burning out. I know what those emotions do to me when I permit them to invade my space, even when they are being experienced by someone else. I do wish those folks would choose life and some degree of happiness.
Ruth, my daughter calls it 'stinkin thinkin'. We need to know when those emotions are getting the better of us and take a break from the chaos. I spend time in my garden, read a book, share a glass of wine with a friend, and let my soul relax. I wish I could somehow convince these people to seek help and counsel. It does work wonders! After an absolutely horrendous divorce and my mom passing, I sought counsel and it was my saving grace! I got back up, dusted myself off and began living my best life!! I don't want to lose our Democracy and will work hard to defend it; however, I also know that I need to keep my sanity, too. Vote Blue, America!!
Peggy, I can feel when I am being overwhelmed by the struggles and first of all, read:
mysteries, historical fiction, history, science, and memoirs mostly, but other things too. I do read politics, but not more than one of those at a time. I find I skip magazine articles that present a point of view that sounds like sour grapes or is a poorly informed opinion (I used to read straight through magazines but not anymore). I sing in a group that performs early American music in costume, and write Haiku occasionally. I also have a boxes garden on my balcony with flowers, green onions, and potatoes. I just have to make myself get up and do something or I can sit at my computer for hours without realizing the time has passed, then I wonder why I sometimes feel so negative and frustrated. I have to remember that I need my energy to deal with the insanity of this election and the non-tech things are the best ways to re-energize.
That is so true, Ruth! I would love to see your group perform, that sounds like so much fun! Gardening is so relaxing for me, too. I am afraid what is missing from some of these people is actual fun! When we know we must step away from all of this and reconnect with the joys that surround us, we do it. Unfortunately, I am afraid those people do sit at their computers constantly streaming everything that makes them feel such hate and anger! If they would pursue non-tech activities that took their mind away from all of it, imagine how much calmer they would feel!
Point taken. But I wonder if "burn out" will occur due to a "long battle" with the rest of us, or will they stop simply because they manage to stir up so much anger that they run roughshod over the nation and democrscy itself? Just know that there is NO guaranteed outcome from all of this hatred, meanness, and need to control (today LA became first state to basically outlaw abortion meds; in my state (TX), Gov. Abbott pardoned a convicted "Black Lives Matter" killer).
David, I know what you are saying. The fact is, we are all tired of this 'constant' battle. I know in my heart they will never stop, but I also know that we MUST never stop defending our Democracy! Vote Blue, America!!
Ruth I think that Republican Party is DEAD - no one will come forward to challenge Trump bc billionaires are behind him controlling the money in America
If we win back the House, Senate & White House, Ginny Thomas WILL be held accountable, along with Jordan, Johnson, etc. who participated in some way in the January 6th insurrection.
I can't believe she is not a defendant in the Arizona fake electors case. At a minimum, she is a material witness against former Thomas law clerk Eastman in GA, AZ and potentially MI and WI.
BTW, apparently she used her husband's SCOTUS email for some of it!
Marlo, I hope so.
Yes! Agreed!
Trump has left an indelible mark on politics. If he is elected he will burn the democracy down. If he does not get elected he and his supporters will burn the place down anyway. Even if he is off the scene (he has not looked after his health particularly well and he is ancient) the Republican replacements and the completely ideologically driven SCOTUS and the lower courts will still continue to burn the democracy to the ground. God help America, and I don’t mean the great idol god of the evangelical nationalists.
Trump spoke to the NRA recently making the outrageous statement Biden should have gotten the electric chair. In reality Trump is a traitor to our country (where are the missing documents? He also just said he would do anything for anyone who paid him a billion dollars!). Didn’t they use to put traitors to death?
WHY ISN'T THAT HEADLINES IN MSM??? This is the 4th time I've posted this in 2 days:
Tell the NY Times, the "newspaper of record," that has been horrible:
editorial@nytimes.com
List of press release agencies https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_press_release_agencies
Free sites: https://www.thesmbguide.com/free-press-release-distribution-services
WE don't control the media. Neither does the DNC. In order to repeat our message, WE need to be persistent. DNC REACH provides the means to broadcast the comments. https://democrats.org/reach/
WE can send it...every day as a press release to media outlets. To social media.
WE can channel Taylor Swift, who has millions of followers on Instagram and X. Most Gen Z do not rely on MSM...use Tic Tok, Instagram, Facebook for their news.
Meanwhile millions of unregistered folks trend heavily Democratic. Register Democrats -- save the world.
https://www.fieldteam6.org/
Plus Trump’s Truth Social company lost more than $300 million in its first quarter as a public company, and its revenue fell to under $1 million
BYTHE ASSOCIATED PRESS
May 21, 2024 at 5:58 AM EDT
Trump Media and Technology Group, the owner of former President Donald Trump’s social networking site Truth Social, lost more than $300 million last quarter!
https://fortune.com/2024/05/21/trump-truth-social-trump-media-and-technology-group-q1-earnings/
Whatta loser. State rests. Trump puts on loser defense.
I tweaked it and sent it to the email you provided.
Can you imagine if Biden had said such an outrageous statement? It would be all over the news.
These people are idiots. I can no longer be friends with most Republicanns. They inflame me (Cheney and Kinzinger exceptions). They are all about money for themselves.
I went to a dinner. There were executives there from Ford. When I spoke about how well my sister’s Prius held up, the hostess quietly explained to me, ‘We don’t talk about other car companies. We’re Ford people.’
That’s not all. I found out they were staunch Republicans. And boozers. The one man had a red, puffy face & bloated belly. Apparently he had a LOT of money that the hostess’s sister-in-law found attractive. She married him (for his money) as was most unhappy.
Agreed, Ken! I do hope Biden and Dems on down the line win in November but continue to worry that even if that happens, what difference will it make? tRump and his Magaminions are going to react viciously and violently, making the last attempt to over throw the government look like a dress rehearsal, which I truly believe it was. Republicans have become so much more emboldened and organized than they were in 2020. November longer are they afraid to show their true colors. I am frankly surprised they haven’t started wearing Nazi swatstikas on the red ties! tRump is more deranged than ever, falling off the rails of accepted decorum further with every tweet and speech! And still he lives!
You are absolutely right, Professor Reich! The bird is permanently hoisted in our direction by their party of fascism and anarchy.
My feeling is Biden is POTUS NOW! He needs to use his office NOW to stand our ground against the violence and hate speech. He needs to be campaigning LOUDLY NOW against the corrupt SCOTUS! He needs to call out the LIES NOW that Bannon and other tRumpets are touting and tell American people why these are anti-American sentiments right in our own midst. Waiting for a Democratic wave in November to do anything about the clear and present danger in our midst is not going to stop this tsunami!
"If he does not get elected he and his supporters will burn the place down anyway."
Ken, I believe some may try but this isn't last time. Preparations have most certainly been made for that outcome should those supporting an insane criminal take up arms.
Agree Adam. I think though that the ‘burn’ will continue. Not necessarily with outright violent insurrection (although this may happen in some parts of the country) but with more extreme state legislature laws, more banned books, more stripping of rights from minorities, more extreme ultranationalist actions that the democrats will go along with like the boarder wall and immigration injustices for fear of loosing votes. The absence of reasonable debate in congress and the mass polarisation of the population. Intimidation of public officials, misogyny, alternative facts and the dismantling of civil society. This cancer will continue to spread even under a democratic regime.
Oh the burn WILL continue. Those micreants are fully committed now.
I agree. Jail time for Jan 6 criminals is an object lesson to MAGA.
Professor Reich: well, it's true, the average working american WAS ignored, overlooked and over-exploited by the rich. but the mistake these working americans are making is believing that the rich are not the ultra-conservative, anti-privacy, control freaks they are, who will step in to working americans' lives and tell them all what they can and can't do, will treat them as badly as they believe the "coastal elites" are doing. the only exceptions to this control is wealth, and working americans are like fish on a hook if they believe the delusion peddled by the uber-wealthy that they too will one day become obscenely wealthy, like their heroes.
oh, there's one descriptor that you forgot in your description of us liberals: avocado-toast eating.
Avocados are FODMAPs, so not all left leaning voters are eating them.
wow. that's quite the abbreviation. i had to look that up.
Could you enlighten the rest of us? I hate all these new abbreviations people make up & expect the rest of us to figure out.
Jamie, FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols, which are short-chain carbohydrates (sugars) that the small intestine absorbs poorly. Some people experience digestive distress after eating them. Symptoms include: Cramping. Most people do not have a problem with these, More have a greater problem from eating processed foods instead of whole foods. That’s a whole other long discussion. If you are interested, I suggest you start by reading Dr Michael greger’s books and looking into Dr Esselstyn’s Lifestyle Clinic for cardiac patients at Cleveland Clinic.
Thank-you very much, Linda, for your explanation & spelling it out!
FODMAPS are certain foods , usually certain fruits or vegetables that draw moisture into the digestive tract. that can cause issues. Avocados are FODMAPS. It is abbreviated because it has terms that most people are not familiar with, but biochemists would know.
Hmmm.... avocados are heavy in monosaturated fats, which are considered healthy, & relatively low in sugars, which Linda Querry says is what FODMAPs mostly are.
I love avocados & eat them often. 1 thing I'm concerned about them is how bad for you they are when they get brown, which they so easily do. But otherwise I've had no trouble with them that I know of & they are the most vitamin & mineral packed fruit around.
Jaime ; I like avocados, but must use them sparingly. I get reactions from the excess water they draw into my digestive system. Moderation , for me, is key.
Avocados are associated with 'libs' for some 'reason' I was just pointing out that they can't be enjoyed by everyone. Except in moderation, if at all. Easy to look up. Actually. "Google is your friend", as my husband says.
I HATE avocados. They were force fed to us in my California nursery school. The caregiver had an avocado tree in her yard. I guess she thought she was giving us a "treat" (actually I think she was feeding them to us to save money on food costs). I still recall gagging and choking the green stuff down so she wouldn't get mad and yell at me!
I love avocados but it can be hard to get them just ripe. If they're unripe, they're not fun too eat, but after ripening, they get brown so fast, & they're not good overripe, either.
me too--good grief
I guess it's just foods that absorb a lot of water, or moisture, causing problems for some. See; we learn a little something every day. They can be eaten, with moderation.
Good point, GrrlScientist! I love the avocado-toast eating!!
I grew up, not knowing you could put avocados in the fridge once they ripen to extend their lifespan! I wish I had learned this tip earlier.
We have Saint Reagan to thank for that
myth: "trickle down economics". If you repeat a lie enough times, others will believe it--especially if you buy opinions of fake "think tanks" and "journalists".
This native progressive Californian is officially going on SubStack record as life long detesting avocados. Slimy green stuff that to me tastes like skunk smell. Avocado oil and mayonnaise, that’s okay, the taste is gone. Enough other ingredients (lots) can be added to guacamole to make it edible .
Who would have thought avocados could get such a response. I would hope that it would be a given that if a remark is made especially about a food item, that we would all know that some people will love them, some will hate them and some will be indifferent.
I think people enjoyed the momentary escape from politics
I just woke up, it’s 4:30 in the morning and I just read this piece. I do like Tom tomorrow quite a lot so thanks for that Dr. Reich. As for the rest of it, well, as I said yesterday, rule of law is dead to the dastardly Supreme Court. Now they are the SC of Project 2025.
Yeah, they think it’s a big game. Well, it’s not an owning the libs is no way to run a country and it’s a bunch of bullshit
It's about control. Their ability to hurt people, manipulate people's emotions of anger and fear, have enemies, and create conflict confirms their superiority and separateness from others. It is a human conditioned sickness, in the extreme.
Yes they are bullies.
Just because the billionaires buy seats does not mean we have to wait until another election cycle to get rid of impostors! States Rights! or a National referendum! no more waiting YEARS for justice anymore!!! Our Freedom is at stake!!! Justice NOW!
Why is American politics so stupid? I can't understand the rage, the neglect of rational arguments, the lack of civility, but above all the absence of substance, of content.
Why you do not talk about the cost of housing, the cost of living, the unequality in earnings and possessions, world peace, the change in the electoral system, the role of courts and judges.
I understand the shivers about the childisch mobster, but the political debate is even in polarised surroundings at least two sided.
So, if the other side does not talk about content, the debate and quality of politics becomes as poor as it is now. Not fingers and invectives, please; the other cannot be beaten. Arrange public debat with them about subjects that matter, the social quality of the society.
Tom van Doormaal ; ;We need media that are not owned by MAGAs.
That is correct, Laurie. I just get a present from a troll: a Fox news clip. The stupidity leaves me flabbergasted...
It's a fun word ; Flabbergasted! kind of like what tfg looks like!
The American electorate has become profoundly shallow, pursuing revenge over substance. Voters say they care about unaffordable housing and human rights. But they don’t really care about anything except bread and circuses and owning the libs. Some day, they may see how that lack of substance has come back to bite them.
Probably not, though.
Guns are a big issue with the TrumpTards
Thank you for this, Tom. I completely agree about the lack of content. And for some reason, global warming isn’t a voting issue, it seems, because prices haven’t returned to 2019 levels.
People who talk policy are dismissed as “bean counters.” My ignorance is superior to your knowledge, and I refuse to try to understand your knowledge. Your knowledge hurts my brain. And my feelings.
Good point!
How can you talk to uneducated illiterates? They go on emotion and visuals, not the facts.
They are lonely, isolated people who want to identify with a cause. That’s what Robert Reich talked about in his previous newsletter.
The two presidential debates will expose Trump as the uneducated, lying, cheating, criminal & dictator he is and will be. Hopefully they will enlist fact checkers because we all know he will be throwing out lies
It's not just your's. Canada's politics are the mirror image of your politics. Our left is the extreme FU-to-everyone side and our right is the moderate middle. Our government's answer to our affordability crisis is to tax everyone harder, keep interest rates up, and hire 30% of the labour force to work in government. And the entire discourse is polarized to heck!
😩
DD/SS. The GOP/Right has been giving Us the finger for decades. I wouldn't doubt that their snores sound like, "Fffffffuuuuuuukkkk....... Uuuuuuuuu." Ever since McConnell pointedly and expressly and openly blocked Garland's appointment to SCOTUS, they haven't even tried to be subtle about it.
So why do We keep rising to their baiting? They keep saying their objective is to "own the Libs". Screeching outrage every time they are deliberately and exceedingly rude just convinces them that "It's working." Which just encourages them to keep on doing what they're doing. We would be better off to match their insults and outrageous behavior with laughter. Like watching the antics of chimpanzees at the zoo: '"Look at the funny monkeys! Aren't they silly?"
There is a response. Stay civil (or quiet) but effectively recruit youth and women to vote this November. Women have been brought up/acculturated to be nice AND effective. We got this gals! Blue up and down the ballot. That should show them.
WooHoo! Vote Blue, America!!!
CaptainPatch, or say something like, that's ridiculous. I love the House Reps, Moskowitz's use of humor and Crocket's use of exposing their playbook to their faces. They are not taking the bait. They're using strategy and I love it!
I am a GREAT fan of Crockett. Looking forward to when she runs for higher office.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUpJetNU2sY
Righteous indignation is what liberals do best. It’s as if democrats want to lose so they can complain more and raise campaign funds to waste on worthless candidates.
Jon Stewart recently did an excellent episode on faux GOP outrage and the Dem usual "How dare they say that?!" reactions. (Worth watching)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwyyttqvE04&t=3s
Yes! The mistake Democrats make is not realizing that the “When they go low, we go high” of Michelle Obama, et al is the thinking of yesteryear, when (maybe) people were still “decent.” It’s a new world, a new war. Like Vietnam compared to WWII - and you have to fight fire with fire.
I daresay we are actually in our first real “cyberwar” and the old guys on the Hill are too old-school to understand it. Meanwhile, hackers and genius programmers are using the internet to make us fight amongst ourselves, some probably rogue but many, I’ll bet, sponsored by Russia and China to bring America down. Not to mention the Republican party. The ones that understand the power of digital communication.
Yeah that old turtle McConnell caused all of this - if he had worked on impeachment the 1st or 2nd time for Trump - we wouldn’t be in this situation - Trump would be a blubbering idiot trying to do right wing second rate talk shows
To answer the question, "Was Trump joking, or was he seriously contemplating two more terms if elected, in violation of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution?" CNI says 100% absolutely he was not joking. From "When to Believe Narcissists,"
"In simplest terms, if any kind of narcissist tells you they want to do something or go after something that greatly benefits them, you can pretty much take it to the bank" https://samray.substack.com/p/when-to-believe-narcissists-part-a4f
100% the party of narcissism takes great joy in triggering everyone they don't like as well, In large part because it makes these small people feel big, & the constant outrage exhausts those of us with hearts, empathy & live in reality, & if we quit, they win.
I interpreted the Quadefendant's comment to mean that he is the rightful president now, in exile. If that's the case, the 22nd Amendment prohibits him from running again. How 'bout we make that argument?
Unfortunately logic, reason & the law do not work on narcissists unless strictly enforced.
Sam Ray, Narcissists are hard to deal with. They by their nature have nothing positive to offer anyone, yet they do seem to draw a lot of susceptible people to themselves.
Indeed it is no coincidence that trump & the GOP also are hard to deal with, by their nature have nothing positive to offer, & yet draw in a lot of susceptible people to themselves. https://samray.substack.com/p/trumpism-is-narcissism
Trump has made it clear that he intends to serve one term--a long one.
Every narcissist's greatest fantasy is ruler for life.
In his Caligula A. Camus stated that every man wants to be god. If so, how come Alito is not god in his house?
I sense a theme. Clarence Thomas is not the god of his house either. Idk Alito's wife but in reality, the other three show most to all of the signs of being pathologically narcissistic.
“For decades, a large and growing number of working Americans have felt overlooked, dismissed, and disrespected.”
The irony and frustration is that the feeling of being
overlooked, dismissed and disrespected has been
mostly due to republican policies and republican
disinformation. Republicans are the ones giving giant tax breaks to corporations that create trillions of dollars of debt, then tell us they must cut back spending on services and programs for seniors, low-income families & children. In other words, they expect us to make up for the lost income they created by giving corporations a huge tax cut.That’s
not right. But the real kick in the pants to voters is
republicans get rewarded for cutting corporate tax
rates with big campaign donations from guess who—
CORPORATIONS, while we suffer the consequences.
It has to stop!
You're absolutely right, Susan!
Bon courage. We can do this.
The thing is, the more we react the happier those semi-literates are. We need to ignore them and appeal to the Independents and undecideds. Those people are capable of analysis and understanding. They may not be as liberal as we, but they uniformly prefer democracy to fascism AND they know the difference.
Painfully profound and insightful analysis.
Carol M Davis ; Yes, there is a lot of pain going around, for sure!